A Look Into the Season: Starkville Yellowjackets
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Starkville still has a bad taste in their mouth after losing to Madison Central in the North Half last year. After their hard fought season a lot of people across the state of Mississippi just knew they were going to…
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Continue ReadingStarkville still has a bad taste in their mouth after losing to Madison Central in the North Half last year. After their hard fought season a lot of people across the state of Mississippi just knew they were going to the state championship. The question all year was would the young team be able to prevail. Last year the Yellowjackets were full of sophomores starting a few juniors and a few seniors. This year they return a lot on offense and a lot on defense. This Starkville team will be a force to be reckoned with next year.
Trey Petty Trey Petty 6'1" | 190 lbs | QB Starkville | 2024 State MS , 6-2 190, QB, 2024
Trey is the signal caller for the Yellowjackets. Last year was his first year starting. He came in and handled business all year for the Yellowjackets. He helped lead them to three comebacks last season four consecutive weeks. He has been working very hard this off-season. I have the pleasure to get to watch him a lot. Take my word when I tell you this kid is going to have a major year this season. I can see Trey going for 3000 yards with the receiving core they have.
Braylon Burnside Braylon Burnside 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Starkville | 2024 State MS “Stonka”, 6-1 185, WR/DB, 2024
Stonka has been starting since his freshman days. He isn’t shy to any challenge that he faces on the field. Stonka will be a guy that plays a major role on offense and defense for the Yellowjackets. He is a route running Magician and runs them as smooth as a swan gliding across a pond. His hands are very dependable and he has the ability to get a lot of yards after the catch. On defense he can make good solid hits and will bring those offensive ball skills to the Yellowjacket secondary. The Jackets have a new secondary coach that is very experienced and knows how to get Stonka where he needs to be to make a lot of plays this year.
Jaylon York Jaylon York 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Starkville | 2023 State MS , 5-10 170, WR/DB, 2023
D1 what they call him. Excuse my French, but I love to say that. This kid is one of my favorite players across the state. This kid knows how to get his team pumped up. He is very vocal and doesn’t like his guys having their heads down. To go along with his motivation and swag, this kid can play. Jaylon wears the number 1 very well. He is a major playmaker for the Yellowjackets. He did outstanding in their spring game. He had two touchdowns and an interception on defense. York is another guy who is a smooth criminal when it comes to route running. He will be open a lot this year.
Jay Turnipseed, 5-10 175, WR, 2024
Jay has the moves that everyone likes. He can get separation whenever he needs to. He has one of the meanest out routes I’ve ever seen. It’s almost unbelievable how much space he gets when he runs this route. He has great hands like Burnside and York. He also will be a guy that can break open big plays for the Yellowjackets.
Eric Thomas Jr Eric Thomas Jr 6'3" | 240 lbs | DL Starkville | 2023 State MS , 6-3 245, DE, 2023
Eric says he hates QBs. That’s a scary thing to hear from a kid like him. He brings a mean punch to the Yellowjacket defense. Eric will be a leader on this defense and look for him to have at least 12 sacks again. Last year he had a lot of sacks and was in the backfield a lot causing problems. He also doesn’t mind chipping in to help in the run game.
CJ Willis CJ Willis 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Starkville | 2023 State MS , 6-0 185, FS/RB, 2023
CJ is going to be a workhorse for the Jackets. He will tote the ball for the Jackets as well as playing some DB. CJ makes his mark and will be very instrumental in helping this team make a deep playoff run. He is a very shifty runner on offense who can stick his nose up the middle.
Jon David Methvin, 6-5 230, DE, 2023
Jon will also be a guy that helps out a lot in the Jacket pass rush on defense this year. His long frame and size allows him to have a great advantage playing at the high school level. I have watched him workout some this summer and he seems to be getting quicker. He runs a 4.8 which is decent for his size. If he can get down to a 4.7 I believe his recruiting stock will go up and he will be able to gain some attention in his recruiting process.
Brandon Short, 6-2 180, DB, 2023
This kid knows how to play his position. I love watching him play corner. He knows how to get up and press. He can play off and use his natural instincts. He has that long frame that allows him to get around receivers and know down passes. He is a coverage specialist. Short studies his receivers well. You can see him watching his opponents hips. He doesn’t get lost in head fakes and cuts. This kid will bring more attention to him and raise his stick this season. He will have a big year for the Jackets as well.